Jalila Haider

Jalila Haider (Urdu/Persian: جلیله حیدر) is a Pakistani human rights attorney and political activist from Quetta in Balochistan, Pakistan.[3] She is known to be the first woman lawyer from Quetta's Hazara minority, and an advocate for the rights of her persecuted community.[4][5] She is a member of the Awami Workers Party (AWP), leader of the Balochistan chapter of Women Democratic Front (WDF),[1] and also an activist in the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).[6] She founded a non-profit organisation, "We the Humans – Pakistan," which aims to empower local communities in Balochistan by strengthening opportunities for vulnerable women and children.[3]

Jalila Haider
جلیله حیدر
Haider in 2020
Born
Jalila Haider

December 10, 1988
Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
Alma materUniversity of Balochistan
Occupation(s)Lawyer, Feminist, Human rights activist
Known forFirst female lawyer from the persecuted Hazara community of Quetta,
Provincial President Women Democratic Front,[1][2]
Political worker Awami Workers Party
Notable workFounder of 'We the Humans – Pakistan'
Being listed in 100 Women (BBC) in 2019

She was named in BBC's 100 Women of 2019,[7] and was chosen as an International Woman of Courage by the United States Department of State in March 2020.[8] In 2022, she won the first-ever ‘Pakistan Peace Award’ for her work and contribution to bring tolerance and sustainable peace in the country.[9]

Early life and education

Jalila Haider was born on December 10, 1988, in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. She holds a master's degree in International Relations from the University of Balochistan.[3]

Career

Haider has been a supporter of the rights of vulnerable communities and has spoken out against human rights violations and abuses faced by them. She has campaigned against the enforced disappearances and killings of Baloch political workers and has led protests and sit-ins against the ethnic cleansing of the Hazaras.[10] She participates and speaks against the atrocities faced by the Pashtuns and believes that their pain is similar as they are all demanding for their right to life guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan.[11] Haider also addressed a meeting of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement in Quetta in March 2018, for which she received criticism and harassment.[12]

After four separate attacks targeting the Hazara community in April 2018,[13] Haider led a peaceful hunger strike camp outside Quetta press club, which lasted for around five days.[14][15][16] Haider and other leaders demanded that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa must visit the community and take concrete steps to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure their security.[17][18][19] Haider and community elders had inconclusive talks with Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Provincial Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti.[15] The strike ended after Qamar Javed Bajwa held meetings with the tribal elders and representatives of the community, including Hazara women, in which he ensured security and protection of the community's right to life.[12][20] Following the hunger strike, on 2 May 2018, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar, took suo moto notice of the killings of Hazaras. In the subsequent hearing on May 11, these targeted killings were termed as ethnic cleansing of the Hazara community and Nisar instructed all the security agencies to submit reports on the forces behind these killings.[21]

Apart from her political activism, Haider has been practicing law at the Balochistan Bar Council for years.[22] She specializes in defending women's rights and provides free legal services to people who cannot afford legal counsel on a wide range of issues, including fair justice, extrajudicial killing, domestic violence, marriage disputes, sexual harassment, and property rights.[23]

In 2018, Haider also met Mr. Ihsan Ghani, National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) in Islamabad to put forward the grievances of the Hazara women who are facing social, economic and administrative challenges as the male breadwinners of their households have been killed.[24][11]

Haider has also contributed to the feminist struggle in Balochistan by fighting against the norms of patriarchy and leading all major movements, including the Aurat March.[25]

In 2020. Haider received a scholarship in the University of Sussex which is a public research university located in Falmer, Sussex, England.

Accomplishments

In 2014, she was selected as an Atlantic Council Emerging Leaders of Pakistan Fellow and was a member of the first batch of Pakistan Social Entrepreneurs by Rajeev Circle Fellows in 2015.[26] In 2015, Haider was selected as one of ‘News Women Power 50’ list of Pakistan's most influential and powerful women. She was also a 2016 Swedish Institute Young Connectors of the Future Fellow.[3]

She was named in the BBC's 100 Women in 2019 which is a list about inspiring and influential women compiled by BBC.[7][27] She was chosen as an International Woman of Courage in March 2020 by the US Secretary of State.[8]

She received Hum TV Women Leaders Award 2020, for her achievement in the past year.[28]

Threats

Haider has received criticism from her society and threats and harassment from state and non-state actors for her activism against human rights excesses.[29] In March 2019, Haider's name was put on Pakistan's Exit Control List (ECL) after her participation in the public gatherings of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement.[30]

See also

Sources

This article was created during ‘WikiGap’[31] event, in Islamabad, Pakistan on 11,12 October 2019, organized by Swedish Embassy.[32][33][34]

References
  1. "Leadership". Women Democratic Front. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  2. "Azaranica: Women Democratic Front's Jalila Haider announced indefinite hunger strike against the on-going target killings of Hazaras in Quetta". Azaranica. 28 April 2018.
  3. "Jalila Haider". The Asia Foundation.
  4. "Pakistani Hazaras face a constant threat of targeted violence. Many say the security response has been ghettoizing and ineffective". Public Radio International.
  5. Jalil, Xari (23 November 2018). "Jalila Haider – ardent advocate of Hazara community rights". Dawn. DAWN Media Group.
  6. "Cabinet Body Places HR Activist Jalila Haider, Ex-Minister On ECL". Naya Daur. 16 March 2019.
  7. "BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?". 16 October 2019.
  8. "2020 International Women of Courage Award". United States Department of State. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  9. "Jalila Haider wins first-ever Pakistan Peace Award". The Nation. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  10. "Meet Jalila Haider, the First Woman Hazara Lawyer in Pakistan". The Wire. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  11. Malik, Abdullah (13 May 2018). "'This is not about Hazaras and non-Hazaras. It's a war between love and hate, and love will win'". Daily Times. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  12. Arqam, Ali (June 2018). "The Venom Within". Newsline. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  13. "Hazara community's hunger strike in Quetta continues for second day | Pakistan Today". Pakistan Today.
  14. "Protesting Hazaras demand 'right to life'". outlookindia.com/.
  15. Khan, Muhammad Ejaz (6 May 2018). "Last April in Quetta". TNS - The News on Sunday. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  16. "Pakistan: Hazara Shia Muslims end protest in Quetta over killings". Al Jazeera.
  17. News Desk (29 April 2018). "Hazara community's hunger strike in Quetta continues for second day | Pakistan Today". pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  18. Dawn.com, AP (30 April 2018). "Hazaras on hunger strike in Quetta want assurance of security, justice from Gen Bajwa". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  19. "Young Hazara Woman Leads Hunger Strike for Justice". Womens Regional Network. 8 June 2018.
  20. Zafar, Mohammad; Malik, Hasnaat (2 May 2018). "Top level intervention: Hazaras calls off strike as COAS assures security". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  21. Zafar, Mohammad (11 May 2018). "JP calls killing of Hazaras 'ethnic cleansing'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  22. Zafar, Mohammad (13 November 2017). "Hazara women defy the odds". Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  23. "Balochistan – ipd.org.pk". Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  24. "Meeting of Jalila Haider With NC NACTA". NACTA Pakistan.
  25. Ahmed, R Umaima (19 March 2019). "Global Voices - Aurat March breaking barriers against patriarchy in Pakistan". Global Voices. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  26. "Balochistan – ipd.org.pk". Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  27. "Hazara woman from Pakistan named in BBC's 100 Women of 2019". geo.tv.
  28. "HUM Network to honor Iranian filmmaker Narges Abyar with Women Leaders Award". Tehran Times. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  29. Zafar, Muhammad (13 November 2017). "Hazara women defy the odds". Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  30. Staff Reporter (16 March 2018). "Cabinet body puts travel ban on ex-minister, HR activist". Dawn. DAWN Media Group. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  31. "WikiGap Challenge - Meta". meta.wikimedia.org.
  32. Shahid, Jamal (13 October 2019). "Volunteers gather to add information online about Pakistani women". DAWN.COM.
  33. "'WikiGap' event by Swedish Embassy puts more Pakistani women on Wikipedia". Islamabad Scene. 13 October 2019.
  34. "Content added to Wikipedia about Pakistani women". thenews.com.pk.
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